Forever

Summary:
All she wanted was somone who cared. She searched the world like a restless spirit until, one day she found what she was looking for. The story of Alice and how she finally found all she ever wished for. Alice/Jasper ONE SHOT

Notes:

1. Forever

Jane Patterson walked down the dank hallway making her rounds. In her hand was a clipboard of room numbers that held one or more of the many patients at the asylum. On her hip was a bag of needles and whatever it was it was they injected the patients with to calm them. It was a quiet night, not a soul stirred beyond the heavy mental doors where they lay. A shadow crossed her path causing her to jump in surprise. She laughed. It was only her imagination. Too many long nights in this place would do that to you.

Jane sighed and rubbed her tired eyes. She had been a nurse here for five years. Five, slow, painful years that she vowed to leave behind her soon. Now if only James would propose to her. She shook her head to rid herself of the thought and continued on her way. Sobs from one of the rooms stopped her. Jane starred at the door with a frown, willing herself to continue and not listen to the pained creature inside. It didn't work. She glanced down to check who was in this room, out of habit only, she knew who it was.

Mary Alice Brandon.

Jane sighed and opened the door, looking around to make sure no one was watching when she did so. Mary Alice was lying on her bed, sweat poring from her temples as she thrashed and moaned. She was a small girl, no more then nineteen years old. Her hair was black and cropped short, though not as short as some. The Head of the Asylum ordered to skip her shave. Why Jane didn't know, but she had a feeling he had some bad intentions when it came to her.

Jane put a cool hand on the young woman's forehead.

Mary Alice relaxed, slightly. "Jasper," she murmured.

Jane frowned. Who was Jasper?

Suddenly the girl's eyes snapped open, revealing strange, purple orbs. "You have to get out of here," she said, clutching the front of Jane's uniform.

"What?"

"Go! Go! They are coming. He can not find you here."

"What are you talking about Mary Alice," Jane soothed, reaching into her bag for the hypodermic needle.

"Please," whispered her patient. "He'll kill you."

"Alice-" she was interrupted by a sharp pain in her head. Jane fell to the floor. As she lost consciousness she heard Mary Alice say: "You're here to save me." It wasn't a question.

"Yes," a man's voice answered and Jane knew no more.

She awoke sometime later to someone slapping her cheek. "Jane. Jane, are you alright?" Abigail, the morning nurse asked franticly.

"I-I don't remember." Changing the subject she said: "So the Doctor ran off with her, eh? I guess living with loons will turn you into one." Jane sighed and shook her head.

"Yes, her parents will be devastated."

"I doubt that. I've seen her grave marker."

"That's doesn't matter. She's gone and the doctor with her. At least he knows how to handle her. Now, let's go get you something for that wound on your head."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

She awoke to the sun shinning in her face, senses attuned to everything around her and a thirst she didn't know if she would be able to quench. She lay there; eyes shut tight trying to get her bearings and to figure out if this was a dream, a vision or real. Something had happened last night she knew that. Her eye's popped open and she struggled onto her elbows. It was too bright.

Suddenly it all came back to her. Pain, lots of pain. It had lasted a good three days and she was alone. No woman with a needle or strong men had come to the sound of her screams. For the first time in six years she was outside. That was all she remembered. Nothing else, not even her name would come to her. She didn't understand it. What had happened?

She struggled into sitting position and looked around, her eyes falling on her hand. She gasped. They were glowing, shinning. She quickly threw herself into the shade of the trees and the glowing went away. Out came her hand into the sun and back into the shade. The glowing appeared, and then disappeared once more. She blinked rapidly as she became even more aware of herself. She didn't feel anything. No cold, no heat, no wind...nothing. Finally she focused on her hand. She had always been slender, but this, this was strange. Her hand went up and felt her face. Where was the scar on her temple she knew had been there? She needed a mirror. She turned quickly and ran to where she heard the small trickle of water. She found the stream and swallowed, afraid of what she might see.

Finally, she gathered her courage and looked in. Her eyes widened at the sight before her. She was beautiful, strange, and un-human. What was she? Suddenly she collapsed as that thirst, quelled by her curiosity moments ago, returned. She needed blood.

The thought hit her like a ton of bricks. She needed blood? She didn't have time to think anymore as a torrent of pictures, smells and emotions hit her.

She saw a man, older then he looked and handsome. On his arm was woman, so beautiful and kind looking. She saw the look of love her in golden eyes and she longed to be with her. "Alice," the woman murmured. Alice gasped, the woman knew her name. Yes, her name was Alice she remembered now.

That thought no sooner crossed her mind then she saw another man. He looked around seventeen with coppery hair and the same golden eyes as the man and woman before him. He gaze was full of an annoyed fondness. Next, there was another woman, blonde and beautiful. Her gaze was cold and a little guarded, though Alice saw a hope in them. Next to her was another man, larger then any she had seen with a kind, if not slightly dopy, grin on his face. Like the others their eyes were gold. Countless other images assaulted her mind. Names, their names and the site of the large one, Emmett, killing and eating a bear. Carlisle lecturing on the evils of taking human blood. That had been slightly amusing to see the others faces. Rosalie, the beautiful woman, had starred coldly. Then, she saw him. The one who was searching for her. Jasper.

Many a night had she dreamed about him, saw who he was and what he did. Yet she loved him. Longed for him to find her. He would. She'd make sure of it. He'd find her and she would take him to the other family like them. To Carlisle, Esme, Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie. They all would be together. Alice would have him and Esme's would love her like she did the others. She would have a family, but she would have to live by their rules.

She sat up once again and sniffed the air, aware that her sense of smell had gotten keener. The smell of blood reached her nostrils and she took off in that direction, plucking the rabbit from the ground and tearing its head off in one bite. Greedily, she guzzled the blood, getting it all over the flea bitten gown the asylum made her wear. That blood wasn't enough. Half a dozen rabbits and three squirrels later, Alice was feeling satiated. A glance in the stream showed her formally red orbs taking on a golden color. It was comforting.

The night came and, surprisingly, she couldn't sleep. It was impossible.

Alice pulled her knees to her chest and squeezed her eyes shut. She was alone. Utterly alone and afraid. She would start her search for him tomorrow. For her sanity she had to find him soon.

Thirty years later

He stalked through the streets, keeping his eyes down and his face covered, a lot harder feat now then it had been a hundred years ago. Finally he gave up and raised his eyes, earning a gasp from a woman nearby. His red eyes flashed and he paused, sniffing the air. Before anyone could see he had pushed the woman into the ally.

Alice's eyes snapped open and she looked around the bar with a frown. Men were giving her suggestive looks. If her previous vision was any indication, the hairless one would approach her. Alice quickly stood and made to leave. He wasn't in this town; there was no point in staying. She had been so exited to find him that she didn't realized he had changed course and thus his and her future was changed.

Alice sighed and ran her fingers through her spiky hair as she walked down the boardwalk. The city people just ignored the slight figure of the girl. A man elbowed past her and she nearly lost balance, saved only by her otherworldly abilities. As soon as she was far enough she took off into a run. She would find him and make him hers. The thought pleased her in a primal way, though she tended to shove those feelings for him in the back of her mind. It was unseemly to think such ways, though, if her visions were correct, she would be immensely satisfied.

She mentally slapped herself. Relationships should run deeper then just lust and it did, she was just too annoyed to think of the deeper things. She stopped finally, somewhere in Minnesota to feed. After felling a rather large buck, Alice took off again towards New Orleans, where she was sure he was.

This time she kept her eye on him and found him still in the same place, feeding. Did he want to get caught? The thought made her stomach clench in panic and she heightened her pace. The next morning she arrived and composed herself. No need for him to see her so worked up.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

He growled slightly in the back of his throat as he watched the idiot man at the bar approach her. It was strange, he didn't know her, yet all his instincts screamed that he did and that she belonged to him. She was one of the smallest things he had ever seen. Thin, delicate, just perfect to hold gently in his arms.

Jasper shook his head rapidly to clear his thoughts as the prudent military leader in him took over. She was a vampire, that much was obvious even with her strange eyes, so why was she here. He felt eyes on him and looked up to see her starring at him over the human man's shoulder.

She looked back into the human's face and excuse dherself. She walked towards him, a slight dance in her steps and a beaming smile on her face. Her emotions showed nothing but happiness and contentment.

"I found you," she whispered to low for any human to here.

He swallowed, nervous for the first time in century.

She laughed a light laugh and grasped his hand. He didn't pull away. "Jasper?"

"You know my name," he breathed, somehow he wasn't surprised.

She smiled again softly. "Do you know mine?"

He looked taken aback by the question, but he knew the answer. He took her other hand in his much larger one and ran his thumb over them. "You are...the one I've been looking for aren't you? I'm sorry I don't know your name."

Her grin widened. "I didn't expect you to." She paused. "Come with me."

He allowed her to lead him out of the bar and to the hotel where she was staying. She ignored the disapproving looks of the lady at the front desk and continued on into her room. She led him in and closed the door, leaning against it so she could stare at him.

"I'm Alice. That is all I remember. You are Jasper Whitlock, you were born in Texas and changed less then a hundred years ago." She paused and looked into his blood red eyes. "You have begun to hate what you have become and because of that you have taken many victims so someone would catch you."

Jasper swallowed again. "How do you know this?"

"I saw it long before you did it."

"You can see things."

Alice nodded. "You can feel things."

He gave her a wry smile, his boyish face lighting up slightly. "Yes, you feel...loved."

"Not yet...but I will. If you'll have me." She walked closer and wrapped her arms around his torso, burying her face in his chest. "I have known of you since I was thirteen years old. I deemed my dreams impure, nightmares, but that was a lie. How could they be nightmares when the only time I ever felt cared for was when I was having them?"

Jasper rested his hand on her short hair, gently running his fingers through it. She leaned into his touch and looked up into his face. "I longed to help you find what you were searching for. I searched for you...for thirty years I searched. It is all I remember."

Jasper knew if she could cry that she would. The sadness, mixed with elations was almost suffocating him. He wanted to reach out and change her emotions, but he knew she would not want that. She wanted to be completely real for him and he would let her. He was right, her small body felt good in his arms and he drew her closer.

"You succeeded," he whispered into her hair. Her arms tightened around him. "I have found you."

She drew away and they faced each other once more. Red against gold.

"You're eyes-" he started.

"They come from my lifestyle. It's...different then yours has been."

"Why?"

"Because I refuse to take human life even to feed myself."

He stiffened out of habit, though he felt no feeling of judgment. She was just stating the facts.

She wasn't looking at him, but out the window. "I do not judge for what has been done, but for what will happen. Will you change for me? Or will the vision I see now come true? Will you slaughter the people in this hotel because of you anger towards a girl and her morals?"

He searched her face, looking for any clue as to what she was really thinking. He found none and he had to go by what he said. He wouldn't, couldn't loose her.

She relaxed slightly even though he didn't say anything. "Thank you," she murmured, taking his hand and leading him over to the bed. She sat and patted the space beside her. "Talk to me."

"Yes." He paused. "My favorite color is green, I don't really like the movies so I read instead. By favorite author is Stevenson. And I find short hair attractive." He said the last part when he reached out and took a lock between his fingers. "It's light hearted and rare."

If Alice could blush, she would have and the thought brought a smile to his face.

She grinned. "You can smile."

He didn't answer as he bent his face a little closer to hers. Her eyes widened considerably as she figured out or saw a vision of what was about to happen. Either way she didn't protest when he went against all of his southern gentleman training and kissed her.

He felt her surprise and trepidation and he finally sent her some soothing emotions. They coursed through her body, causing her to go slightly limp as she relaxed into his lips. He carefully deepened the kiss, making sure the new feeling didn't scare her. Even though they were bonded the moment she was born, he knew she spooked easily, he could feel it lying deep inside of her. A scar from past she couldn't remember.

Hours later she lay curled next to him, face buried in his shirt. She wasn't asleep, of course, merely lost in her own thoughts. "There's a family," she finally said, pulling away to look up at him.

Jasper propped himself up on his elbow and gazed down at her, waiting for her to continue. "They are why I chose the lifestyle I did."

He was quiet, gathering his thoughts before he answered. "Lovely. A real Southern Belle. She had blonde hair like mine and green eyes...like mine used to be. Her voice was sweet and she always spoke to me like I was the only person in the world she cared for." He laughed. "She talked to the whole family that way. She was a little frustrating, though. She only thought about what the war would do to her comfort." Jasper snorted. "She was selfish that way. Of course, that was how she was raised."

"You loved her."

"Very much so."

"I don't know if mine loved me."

"Why would you say such a thing?" Jasper raised himself higher over her to get a better look at her face.

Alice fingered her hair. "This wasn't the style of my time. The only ones who had shaved heads were ones in the hospital or asylum. What parent sends their child to a place like that?"

"Maybe they didn't," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her. "Maybe you got lice or something."

"Maybe," she murmured, hiding her face in his arm.

They lay in silence once more.

"I'm glad I found you," she murmured.

He kissed her forehead. "Why? You're too good for me."

"If I hadn't known you were out there looking for me, I would have killed myself."

"That's not as easy as it sounds...believe me."

"Still, I would have tried. I woke up alone, with no knowledge of what I was or what I had become. It was terrifying."

Once again he sent her soothing emotions, trying to stop her trembling. "I tried human blood once, Jasper. I'm not perfect."

"You're made to do that. Take human blood."

"I don't have to, though."

Jasper didn't answer.

"I was somewhere in California and walking through a dark ally. I was trying to get to the woods where I could feed. I hadn't done so in a week and I was thirsty. The scent of the humans was making me crazy and I knew I had to get out. Then he attacked me."

Jasper's arms tightened around her.

"I've trained myself to use human strength only and at the time I was in that mode. He threw me to the ground easily, but keeping me there was a whole different matter Once my rage had died down I felt soiled. I didn't return to the town."

"Alice...what could you have done?"

"Broke his arm or knock him out. So many other things, but I needed to feed. So I did. I stayed away from human settlements for three years after that. I guess Edward would argue, that the man was evil and deserved what he got. "

"Edward?"

"Our new brother. We haven't met him yet."

That sounded ridiculous and Alice knew it. Jasper knew it to if the shaking of his head and strange sound in his chest were any indication.

"Are you laughing?" Alice sat up with an incredulous look at her face.

"You're a wonderful creature, Alice," Jasper said, still laughing.

Alice looked a little put out by her mate's uncharacteristic behavior. It was then she realized that she, in fact, knew nothing about him. All she had seen were visions of his future, or their future and that was before she had met him. They were complicated, her visions. She couldn't know Jasper by his future actions, nor his past actions for that matter. She had to get to know him and she would.

He was still laughing when Alice growled slightly and tackled him. He starred wide eyed at the small female straddling his waist. "Don't laugh at me," she growled.

Jasper raised an eyebrow and rolled over. She landed beneath him with a squeak and glared up at him.

"That really wasn't fair."

"All's fair in love and war."

"That's really quite cheesy."

"Cheesy?"

"New term I picked up from the future. It means sappy or lame."

"Ah, I see." With that he kissed her again.

Two Years Later

"Are you sure this is the place?" Jasper whispered in her ear.

Alice nodded and looked at the large white house. Not a sound came from it. "They're out hunting."

"What do we do?"

"Wait for...five seconds." Alice counted down under her breath and soon two charging shapes were seen rolling out of the woods. It was Emmet and Edward, caught up in a wrestling match. Rosalie stepped out from the trees casting the two males irritated looks. Behind her came Carlisle and Esme, holding hands and starring at their ‘children' indulgently.

"Time to go home, Jasper," Alice whispered, and she stepped out from amongst the trees.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_

Carlisle started in surprise when the little fairy emerged, dragging behind her an ice prince. Edward and Emmet stopped their play and also starred. The girl's eyes glowed a warm golden color, but her prince's still had a reddish tint to it. Carlisle was immediately on guard. This man was dangerous.

"Hello, Carlisle," she chirped, standing before him with a happy smile on her face.

His brow drew together in a quizzical frown. "Do I know you?"

"Not yet. I'm Alice and this is Jasper. I've been searching for you for over thirty years."

"I don't follow you."

"Who's the kid?" Emmet asked, ignoring Edward's glare.

Alice turned to look at him. "Hello, Emmet, how was the bear."

"Have you been stalking us?" Edward muttered.

"Don't be so suspicious, Eddy."

Edward looked like he was going to attack her, but Jasper's presence made him stop. The blonde was glaring daggers at him.

"My dear, do you think you can explain everything before my son and your mate attack each other."

"Yes, that's a good idea. It's a long story."

"Then you must come in," Esme smiled.

"Are you kidding?" Edward and Emmet growled.

"Shut up you two!" Rosalie grumbled. "I want to know how she knows us."

"You two should be nice to me," Alice crooned as she danced her way into the house after Esme and Carlisle. "I'm going to be your new sister."

Judging by the fond looks Esme was giving the girl, Carlisle knew she was probably right.

After they were seated Alice launched into her story. She told them about how the only thing she could remember before her transformation were the bits and pieces of her dreams, she told them about her vision and her search and about finding Jasper and finally them. "That's what happened. That's why I'm here. Can we stay?"

Alice knew the answer, Carlisle could tell from the look on her face, but she was asking. Carlisle looked at the rest of his family. Rosalie looked happy at the prospect of having a sister and Emmet liked the idea of someone who could annoy Edward. Esme, of course, loved the thought of more children. Edward even looked somewhat exited at the idea.

"Of course you can."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Hours later, Jasper and Alice were alone in their own room. It had taken awhile to agree on which room they would take, Alice liking Edwards and even going as far as to move his stuff into the garage. Rosalie decided to move into the extra room because the bathroom mirror was better and this was the perfect excuse, or so she claimed. Edward had confided in Alice that Rose was just being nice and didn't want to admit it.

A strange family he had found, but Alice was happy. Because of that so was he. He glanced at her smiling face as she lay stretched out on the bed.

"You're home now?" he asked.

"Yes. I am." She turned over and looked at him. "How about you?"

"Of course." Where ever you are is home.

"That's cheesy!" Edward yelled from the room next door.

Jasper blinked and Alice giggled. "Been in your head too, has he?" he asked with a shake of his head.

Alice closed her eyes in concentration as she pictured some unknown event.